| If you're pregnant, no doubt you've already been | | | | 3) If your baby or a family member who is a match |
| bombarded with tons of flyers, e-mails, pamphlets, | | | | for the stem cells in the cord blood, it is immediately |
| advertisements, and even phone calls regarding | | | | available for the family. No waiting on long lists to get |
| saving your newborn's cord blood with a private | | | | to a match, actually no waiting at all - and faster |
| bank. Cord blood is the blood left in the umbilical cord | | | | treatment is always better. |
| and placenta following delivery of a baby. This blood | | | | 4) There have been literally thousands of successful |
| is rich in stem cells, which are becoming more and | | | | cord blood transplants performed worldwide for a |
| more important in the treatment of many diseases. | | | | variety of serious diseases in both adults and children. |
| You can spend months pouring over all the literature | | | | And the medical possibilities are increasing. It will be |
| available on the pros and cons of saving your | | | | easier to take advantage of these new possibilities if |
| newborns umbilical blood with a private bank, but just | | | | you have your own cord blood available for use. |
| to get you started, here are five reasons to save | | | | 5) There are certain family situations that increase |
| your baby's umbilical blood with a private bank: | | | | the likelihood of needing your own privately stored |
| 1) There is only a fifteen-minute window when cord | | | | stem cell blood - those include: |
| blood can be collected. There is no changing your | | | | Ethnic or Mixed Ethnicity - Ethnic minorities and |
| mind on this one, and no do-over's. You can always | | | | families of mixed ethnicity have greater difficulty |
| decide later to not continue to store your baby's | | | | finding stem cell donors when needed due to a lack |
| blood and all you will be out is the cost. But you can | | | | of donors in many ethnic groups. |
| never go back if you change your mind and decide | | | | Newborn Adoption - If you are adopting a newborn, |
| you really wanted to save it. This is why it is so | | | | you may want to choose umbilical blood banking to |
| important to learn about cord blood banking early in | | | | be sure you have a genetic match for your child. |
| your pregnancy so you can make an informed | | | | In Vitro Pregnancies - If you used in vitro to get |
| decision. | | | | pregnant, you may want to be sure to preserve |
| 2) If your baby ever needs a transplant, you know | | | | your baby's cord blood because there is a very real |
| you have a match. A large percentage of | | | | possibility that you may not have another |
| complications from transplants arise from the bodies | | | | opportunity to secure a genetically related cord blood |
| rejection of the donated material or cells. If your | | | | stem cells for your child through future pregnancies. |
| baby ever needs a transplant in their lifetime, you | | | | There are many different private cord blood banking |
| know that their umbilical blood is a perfect match. For | | | | facilities available to you and your family should you |
| others, having cord blood from a family member can | | | | choose to preserve this potentially life-saving material. |
| mean a reduction in complications, improved survival, | | | | But now is the time to get all the information you |
| and a better quality of life without the need for | | | | need to make a good decision. |
| continual anti-rejection medications. | | | | |